Story

The morning found the sun rising over Clarkstown, U.S.A. and kids from different neighborhoods around town were leaping out of bed and running to eat breakfast and get dressed. Strangely enough, it was not Christmas morning, as one might suspect at first. It was Sunday, July 5th, 1959, but it was a day that many children in Clarkstown had been waiting for.

A rather rich, elderly gentleman who lived in the town had decided to hold a special event for the town’s children on this day. The older gentleman went by the name of Walter Francis Finder III, and he had managed to arrange that the town work together in hosting a scavenger hunt game utilizing areas around the town. Being rather wealthy and influential with the town committee, he managed to secure a day off from work for the parents and any other townspeople in exchange for their help in holding the event. The adults in the town responded favorably to his proposition and the scavenger hunt was arranged. Mr. Finder announced that the game would be held as a competition where the winner would receive a special prize.

However, Mr. Finder also had a brother Dennis who was a bit of a practical joker. Hearing about his brother’s proposed tournament, and having nothing better to do with his time, he deviously went about purchasing large amounts of gag gifts from joke shops and began placing them around town where the scavenger hunts would be held. Also, to make things interesting, Dennis planned to pop around town to different buildings and offer trick-or-treats to the children while they ran about on their hunt. While Mr. Finder thought that this was a nice gesture, he didn’t realize that besides the candy Dennis had to offer, he also had a nasty bag of special tricks in mind to pull on the unsuspecting scavenger hunt participants.

As noon approached, the children gathered in the center of town for the start of the game. Walter Finder wished them well and a good hunt while his brother snickered softly behind him before rushing off to await his first visitor. The children took their starting positions, and unaware of all of the surprises awaiting them, rushed off at the sound of the starting pistol beginning what would be the most memorable game they would ever play in their lives.